Parents with learners joining Grade 7 have expressed mixed feelings ahead of official opening  on Monday.

This follows the directive to have the learners retained in primary school and not proceed to secondary school.

The directive to retain Grade 7 learners in primary schools might have hurt some of the pupils who are between 11 and 13 years, going by sentiments from some parents.

A spot check by the Star now reveals that some of them don't want to go back to their former primary schools.

The order to retain them was given after the learners had finished the summative assessment or boarding schools, and the learners had checked out with all their belongings.

"My son doesn't want to go back to that school, he even cries begging me to transfer him to another school," Damaris, a parent told the Star.

The Machakos-based parent now says her son has already set up his mind that he is not going to his former school in Machakos county.

The Grade 6 learner now wants his mother to transfer him to a different school in Nairobi.

"When he left his primary school after the Grade 6 exam, he knew he was going to a secondary school, now he feels like the juniors from the school will mock him because he is back," she said.

A devastated Damaris now has to dig deep into her pockets to take her son to a new school.

She said ignoring the concerns raised by the boy would only cause more harm.

"I understand his situation and we will find another school," Damaris said.

Even as the leaners report with new uniforms, the government tightened the noose for rogue chill heads.

The Education ministry directed that no parent should be compelled to buy uniforms at a specific store.

The Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu also revealed plans to reduce the number of subjects being studied by Grade 7 learners.

According to the Basic Education Curriculum Framework, the learners will study 12 core subjects and two optional ones.

“When they say the number of learning areas, they might come with a number that Kenyans will say,” Machogu said.

Primary schools will next week receive Sh17,423,514 textbooks for Grade 7 learners.

The CS said every learner will receive one textbook for core subjects and optional subjects they will choose.

The government has spent Sh3.1 billion on the distribution of books.

“As a result, we are today (Friday) launching the distribution of a total of 17,893,270 copies of Learner’s Books and 423,514 copies of Teacher’s Guides for Grade 7,” Machogu said.

He added that the books will be distributed between January 30 and February 17.

The Ministry of Education assessed and approved more than 20,000 primary schools to host Grade 7 learners.

The CS said the schools were assessed based on enrolment.

“Those who have not qualified are few because our major criteria was enrolment, number of students as they transition,” he said.

Machogu added that schools that did not qualify will act as junior secondary feeder schools.

Feeder schools refer to primary schools that lack the enrolment and infrastructural capacity to domicile a JSS.

Alternatively, affirmative action will be used to ensure a 100 per cent transition from senior primary to junior secondary.

"In high-density areas and urban informal settlements, primary schools with an enrolment of less than 45 learners, or those lacking the basic facilities to host JSS, will serve as feeder schools to other JSSs within two kilometres," the guidelines read.

The ministry further said in geographically expansive, low-density and insecure areas, there will be affirmative action.

"As well as for learners with special needs and disabilities, the government will implement affirmative action (as appropriate), regardless of the enrolments."